In the digital age, eCommerce businesses must work on their online presence and visibility because those are indications of their audience reach. Without having the ability to attract the right audience, the eCommerce business itself will cease to exist or operate.
That’s why before any entrepreneur can launch their eCommerce shops, they must first have to establish a channel that they can use to interact with their target markets. For some, this channel can be established through creating accounts on social networking sites, while some prefer having their own websites.
However, because not everyone is as literate and knowledgeable in the coding language as professionals, they would have to rely on outside help to build their own websites. At least, that was until content management systems (CMS) entered the picture and aided the entrepreneurs in need.
What Is a Content Management System?
A Content Management System, or simply CMS, is a tool that can help anyone build their own website without requiring extensive technical knowledge of coding or web development. This is a software solution made for anyone who wants to create, manage, and modify website content more simply.
This means that if an entrepreneur were to use a CMS platform instead of the more traditional way of building websites, they wouldn’t have to go through all the trouble of making one from scratch. All the necessary website infrastructure would already be taken care of by the CMS platform, so the user will only need to create their design based on the templates available.
Among the most popular CMS platforms are WordPress, WooCommerce, Blogger, and Magento. Each platform comes with its own strengths and weaknesses, as well as price ranges for subscriptions. But there are CMS platforms that are totally free to use because they are open source.
Who Uses CMS Platforms and Why Do They Use Them?
As mentioned earlier, anyone who wants to build their own personalized websites can use CMS platforms to make their job easier. This goes for eCommerce business owners, non-profit organizations, and individuals who want to create their own blogs.
You might wonder why there are people who opt to make use of CMS platforms instead of hiring developers to build their websites from scratch. To answer your question, it’s because CMS platforms are comparatively cheaper to use and maintain, especially when the budget is tight.
CMS platforms also come with design templates, extensions, and add-ons that can help users create a website that is unique to them. For instance, using a CMS platform like WooCommerce is more practical if you’re an eCommerce business owner who wants to make the logistics of your product returns process much easier.
In this case, you need to find a WooCommerce order returns plugin that will allow you to do just that. Most extensions and plugins are customizable to fit your needs, so you can take advantage of those to stay on top of your day-to-day business operations.
How to Find the Right CMS Platform for You?
The key to running a successful eCommerce business is finding the right CMS platform. This is because the CMS platform you’re going to choose will set the foundation of your business. If you manage to create a strong and durable foundation, it will be able to support the weight of your future endeavors.
That said, there are five factors that you must consider before deciding what platform to use: the cost, ease of use, design options, extensions, add-ons, and the support options that it comes with. Considering all the pros and cons of these different factors will allow you to arrive at an informed conclusion.
All CMS platforms will vary in pricing; some are free to use while others can charge a monthly subscription fee. You should also take the ease of use and availability of the design templates into account because these will directly affect how you’re going to build your customized website.
And because most CMS platforms will only act as the unembellished foundational layer of your website, you have to consider your options for extensions or add-ons to complete your overall design. These separate software features can be installed on your chosen CMS platform to expand its accessibility.
Lastly, you have to factor in the customer support option. Although most CMS platforms are designed for those who are unfamiliar with web development, there could still be aspects that may seem far too complex. As such, you will need a CMS platform with a dependable support team just in case you have any questions while you’re building your website.
The CMS platform you’re going to use for your eCommerce business can make or break your success. That’s why you need to weigh all the pros and cons of your options before you make any final decisions. With the right CMS platform at your side, your business can reach unimaginable heights.